There are a variety of shipping containers to ship goods around the globe. Some of these containers are used to haul the goods using a trailer, and some are used to transport the goods using trains or vessels. Each type of transportation means (i.e., trailers, trains and vessels) must follow domestic and international guidelines that specify the size, dimensions and weight of the containers. Often, one type of container that is suitable for a kind of transportation means is not suitable for another type. As a result, goods that are shipped via vessels in a transpacific or transatlantic trades are offloaded from the type of containers used in the vessels and reloaded into containers used for trailers or trains. This process is costly, inefficient and cumbersome.
Moreover, containers come in different sizes such as a 40 foot container or a 53 foot container. It is desirable to use 53 foot containers for all forms of transportations since they offer more space. Currently, there are 53 foot containers that are used for vessels, but they do not provide the cubic capacity that is needed for international shipping. Additionally, adapters must be used to stack these containers on vessels which adds additional cost. Further, these containers can only be stacked up to four containers high using the adapters.
There are also domestic 53 foot containers that are used for trailers and trains. However, they do not provide the structural support required for stacking and racking the containers on a vessel at a 53 foot position. Containers that are placed on vessels need to be structurally strong enough to endure the rigors of ocean transport and withstand the forces exerted from other containers stacked on top. Containers that are used for domestic shipping have certain other requirements such as height and cubic capacity. In addition, containers need to comply with specifications of various standardizations and regulatory bodies such as International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Transit International Routier (TIR), Association of American Railroads (AAR) Standards, etc.
Therefore, there is a need for a universal hybrid container design that can be used for all means of transportation, and that also complies with the domestic and international shipping regulations. Embodiments of the invention solve these and other problems, individually and collectively.